I seem to remember that the Battle of the Ten Kings is described in Book 7, hymns 83. 4-8 in the Rigveda. Well those Ancient Sanskrit hymns may need updating after day two of L’art de la Guerre wargaming at the South of England’s premier hobby/leisure centre in Reading. After three hard fought battles, I felt I had the measure of my army…..

The Vedic’s favourite chariots were brittle and out-classed and the mediocre foot was a bad mistake. But finally I was in with a chance, my next opponent was George with his New Kingdom Egyptians. My Puru Vedic kingdom would be facing a mirror image of itself from the West but we had elephant support!

Our Royal sage Vishvamitra surveyed the battlefield and felt confident. Our chariots were a match for the effette Nile dwellers and King Suda could stomp all over George’s foot soldiers in the centre. George was worried and placed a central gully – a rare terrain piece that also discomforts elephants. George’s dad had painted his army brilliantly and the son knew the rules, damn them!

George wasn’t coming out of his terrain fortress but he did surprise the Trtsu- Bharata chariotry by racing forward. I winced and sent forward my bow into the plantations to add some firepower to my right wing.

It worked, the Egytian charioteers disliked getting their immaculate wheeled platforms damaged and beat a hasty retreat.

As the Egytian chariotry fell back, the axe wielding guard came forward in support of their archers who were intent on skewering my elephants.

My maiden guard did it again. George cleverly avoided my elephant but the ladies around King Sudas weren’t going anywhere. Two handed cutting weapons are a delight to see, when you win, you win big in this game!

 The Egyptians were spent and fell back to their gully. The Pharoah’s chariots came back for a feint against my camp but Gordon “Poor man’s Midge Ure” Jamieson called time. We had survived!
It was midday and time for a delightful mix of all day breakfast roll, shortbread and Fanta. Mark “the Boy” Clarke sucked on his Vimto carton and pointed to the list of wargames who’s who that surrounded us; Dodgy Nigel Poole, Colin “Mr. personality” Cavanagh…..even Robin the refugee from the Flames of War circuit was here! Gentleman James had left us bottom feeders but Big Don was in full effect,  admittedly due to his Spanish opponent having to have Brummie translated into English. Through the assembled characters came the foreboding shadow of local boy Richard…

Richard is part of that new generation of competitive gamer, hungry for fame and brought up on a diet of computer games and disappointment. His choice of army was telling, Sumer and Arkad. Rank upon rank of heavy spear with pseudo knight battle wagons.

No terrain was needed by Richard, the whole army ground forward to the quaint sounds of Mark Clarke’s inexhaustible Vimto carton…….

It was horrible, within two turns we were in combat and although we scored a few noticeable victorious match ups, the day was lost against a wall of shields.

Last place was mine! The venue was great, the show was brilliant and the George hotel crew a joy to be with. I would heartily recommend Warfare to anybody, it’s up there with Salute and Devizes in the calendar. And there in the ruins of my army lay my next project, yet more Indians, classical this time, to accompany Mr James to Godendag in January. I will be revenged!